WHEN WE ALL VOTE: THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY: A roundup of recent voting news

Hi John,

Welcome back to The Good, The Bad, The Ugly — your go-to source for the latest in voting rights. Voting laws are shifting fast — and millions of Americans could feel the impact. Nevada is moving to make voting more accessible with new protections for mail voters, better transparency, and expanded language access. Meanwhile, West Virginia just tightened its voter ID rules, and Texas is advancing bills requiring proof of citizenship to vote, risking purges and new barriers for eligible voters.

So, buckle up as we break down the wins, the setbacks, and the urgent fights ahead in the battle for our democracy. 😉

😃 THE GOOD: The Nevada Assembly passed three bills to make voting more accessible. A.B. 499 would help prevent mail-in ballot rejections by letting voters skip signature checks if they provide part of their ID number and confirm their identity by email or text if there’s an issue. A.B. 496 would boost transparency by requiring daily updates on mail and provisional ballot counts during the voting period and monthly updates to voter registration lists. A.B. 367 focuses on language access, expanding in-person assistance, and making translated voting materials available online. All three bills now head to the Senate.

😠 THE BAD: In West Virginia, H.B. 3016 has been signed into law, changing the state’s voter ID requirements by narrowing the list of acceptable forms of identification. Under the new law, voters must present a government-issued photo ID when voting in person — eliminating several non-photo forms of ID previously accepted, such as utility bills, bank statements, or paychecks. Supporters of the law say it enhances election security, while others argue it could make voting harder for people without easy access to photo identification, including older people, lower income voters, and rural voters.

😡 THE UGLY: In Texas, a House committee has advanced two bills — S.B. 16 and its companion H.B. 5337 — that would require people registering to vote, and current voters, to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a birth certificate or passport. These bills could lead to widespread voter purges and place significant barriers in front of eligible voters, particularly those who may not have easy access to these documents. The bills now move to the full Texas House for debate.

John, these bills in Texas and West Virginia, along with others advancing across the country, are part of a growing push to make it harder — not easier — for everyday people to vote. But we’re not sitting back. We’re organizing, informing, and working to protect our freedom to vote.

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I’ll be back soon with more important voting news and updates.

— Beth